Roman Reigns has made his pick on which champion to face at WrestleMania 42 on WWE Raw.
The World Heavyweight Championship match for WrestleMania 42 is now official after Roman Reigns chose CM Punk as his opponent on Monday’s episode of WWE Raw. Reigns’ decision followed a heated and increasingly personal exchange between the two, which closed the show. The 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble winner came to the ring and asked the crowd who he should challenge at WrestleMania. Chants for Punk brought the champion out, but the confrontation quickly escalated.
Punk initially called out Finn Balor, which irritated Reigns and set off a war of words. Punk accused Reigns of being a part-time performer, while Reigns mocked Punk for taking what he described as a “ten-year vacation” from WWE. Reigns rejected the idea that he followed in Punk’s footsteps, saying Punk represented “everything not to do” in the company.
Reigns also referenced Punk’s past comments on Colt Cabana’s podcast and accused him of trying to turn his family against him, including Paul Heyman and his cousins. He claimed their handshake at Survivor Series was followed by Punk mocking him backstage.
In the end, Reigns said he could choose Punk because he is the top star and “on Netflix”, but added that the rivalry went much deeper. He told Punk that he hated him and said WrestleMania would be “the best day of my life” because Punk would be forced to acknowledge him.
How Did Roman Reigns Earn A Title Shot At WrestleMania?
Roman Reigns earned his WrestleMania title shot by winning the Men’s Royal Rumble on Saturday, last eliminating Gunther. In the women’s match, Liv Morgan claimed victory, though she announced on Raw that she plans to appear on WWE SmackDown before deciding which champion she will challenge at WrestleMania 42, which takes place on April 18 and April 19.
